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Lobster Bisque

The key to good lobster bisque is consistency and a generous amount of lobster meat.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword bisque, creamy, lobster, seafood, shellfish
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 539kcal

Ingredients

For the homemade seafood stock:

  • 2 (2-pound) cooked Maine lobsters, meat removed and reserved for bisque or 6 cooked Maine tails, meat removed and reserved
  • 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
  • 4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 head garlic, top ¼ trimmed off
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • Kosher salt, as needed

For the lobster bisque:

  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 7 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 cup brandy, plus additional for serving (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 8 cups seafood stock (recipe above or use store bought)
  • ⅓ cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt, as needed
  • Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
  • ¾ pound cooked lobster meat, chopped, divided
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the homemade seafood stock:

  • Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Add the shells, onion, carrots and celery to a baking sheet and roast until browned, about 30 minutes.
  • Add to a large stockpot with the tomato paste, 12 cups of water, the garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.
  • Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate broth in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.

For the lobster bisque:

  • Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat then add the oil and heat through. Add the onion, celery, and carrot (a mirepoix) and sauté until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, thyme, tarragon, bay leaves, peppercorns, brandy, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about an additional 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste and stir to combine then add the fish stock and 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the mixture has reduced by about a third, about 30 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the leftover solids.
  • Return the bisque to the pot over medium-low heat. Add rice and cook until the rice is extremely soft, about 30 minutes.
  • Add mixture to blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve then return to pot.
  • Whisk in the cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add ½ pound of the lobster meat and stir to combine, reserving some for garnishing the soup.
  • Divide among warmed soup bowls and top with the remaining lobster and finish with a bit of the brandy (optional).

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 1686mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7815IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 257mg | Iron: 2mg